Open City-Designing Coexistence
Rotterdam [NL]

‘Open City – Designing Coexistence’ is the topic of the 4th International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR), curated by Kees Christiaanse. With three exhibitions, a unique collaboration with a public broadcaster and an extensive side program of lectures, film screenings, debates, workshops, an international master class and other events, the 4th IABR embraced the theme of the Open City.

Open City can be described as a city that is diverse, lively and socially sustainable, where people can productively relate to each other culturally, socially, as well as economically. More specifically, with the theme of Open City, the 4th IABR raised the question of social cohesion in the city from the point of view of its designer: how can architects and urbanists make realistic contributions to the sustainable quality of the urban condition.

‘In the history of utopias, the reflection of the ideal society often takes the form of a city. In this way, we can view the Open City as a spatial translation of an open society,’ says Kees Christiaanse in his curatorial statement.

After the exhibition period in Rotterdam (September 2009 - January 2010), ‘Open City – Designing Coexistence’ was shown in Jakarta and Bali (Indonesia).

Related

26-10-2011

During the "fall lecture series" at The University of Pennsylvania School of Design Kees Christiaanse gave last week students lecture about urban regeneration. To explain the different regeneration strategies several KCAP projects like Perm Strategic Masterplan in Russia, Stadstuinen, GWL-Terrein, Wijnhaveneiland and Red Apple in the Netherlands, HafenCity in Germany and Creative Gateway Shenzhen in China were presented.The video of the lecture is now available on the website of PennDesign

24-05-2011

The 21 Century is called the "century of cities". By the middle of this century it is expected that 80 percent of the to nine billion people growing world population will live in urban regions. At the same time the future of these cities seems more uncertain than ever. On Thursday and Friday May 26 and 27, Bauhaus Dessau and the Heinrich-Böll-Foundation invite for an international conference in Berlin. "Urban Futures 2050" brings together architects, urban planners, politicians and scientists to "think about the future of cities and inspire practical solutions," say the organizers. Kees Christiaanse will participate in the conference as one of the keynote speakers.
More information on the official website of the conference.

05-04-2011

Within the lecture series of 'Visions and Visionaries' of the German Architecture Center DAZ in Berlin, Kees Christiaanse will give a lecture about Open City.The lecture will take place on Wednesday, April 6th at 7 pm.Registration and more information via the website of DAZ.